Wizard Repellent
by BubbleChar
Summary: Natasha Dursley is unimpressed when she gets her letter. Somewhat reluctantly she leaves her family to discover the wizarding world and the new family she didn't even know she had. With her new cousins, Lily, Albus, and James, Natasha uncovers secrets about her family that have been carefully kept for years.
1. The Dursleys have mail

I wasn't surprised when I got a letter on my eleventh birthday telling me I was a wizard. I knew I was special, destined for great things. So I waited for something better to turn up. I figured I must at least be a Princess, a companion, and a Jedi too. For nearly half a year I waited for the crew of Serenity or Gandalf to show up and take me on an adventure. It wasn't until I tried my wardrobe for the millionth time and it still didn't open up into Narnia that the realization hit me almost as hard as the back of the wardrobe did. Being a wizard was my only option.

My father Dudley tried his best to console me. Apparently he had some long lost brother or cousin or something who turned out to be a famous wizard. My mother Joohly tried to act excited for my sake, although I think she was just confused. Once I overheard her asking my father, 'Wizards are the ones who make Santa's presents right?' and shortly after the letter arrived she told me, 'Natasha darling, will the earrings I bought you last Christmas still work when your ears go all pointy?'

My brother Vernon was the worst. He was going off to college at the end of the year and had no problem reminding everyone frequently. 'While Natasha's off playing Santa's little helper, I'M going to be studying at Yale to become a world renown dentist,' he would say. I knew he was extremely jealous.

My Grandpa Vernon and Grandma Petunia were the only ones who understood my pain. 'What terrible news,' Grandma sympathized with me, 'How horrible you must feel to be the one to bring such a dark cloud over our family again,' I wasn't quite certain we were feeling down about it for the same reasons but I was glad for the support.

I had put off dealing with my wizarding invitation for six whole months now. It was late October, nearly two full months since the beginning of the school year. _Great I'm going to be one of those kids,_ I thought of the few students who always came to my current school later in the year. One morning I expressed these concerns to my father.

'If it will make you happy, go,' he said after a deep breath. I got the impression that he didn't think too highly of wizards.

'Okay,' I sighed, ' I guess I'll give it a try.'

Dad hurried out of the room. 'Wait where are you going?' I called after him, 'I don't have to go if you don't want time to!' I followed him out into the hall and upstairs.

'Oh no, it's not that,' he assured me, 'See I have a a wizard repellent, a concoction that keeps them away. One thing you should know about wizards is that they can be very intrusive and persistent. I set it up to protect our family, but I need to take it down if a wizard is to come and take you to Hogwarts,' he opened the door of a closet which had a ladder fastened to it's walls, leading to the roof.

'Wait Dad, I'm sorry but I don't think your repellent works. I'm a wizard and it's not doing anything to me,' I began to think.

'I did find that troubling at first,' my father explained, 'However, I figured it didn't affect you because you had been exposed to it for so long. I've had it up there since before you were born.' I nodded, it made sense, and we climbed up and onto the roof. You couldn't see much from the roof of our two story house, just the streets next to ours lined with identical houses. My father removed six loose shingles from the back end of our house and pulled out a large Tupperware container. It was filled with a murky silver liquid.

'What is it?' I asked.

'Pegasus urine, spider embryos, and the tears of one thousand owls,' my father answered proudly.

'Woah,' I stared at it in awe, now able to identify the grainy black dots floating through the concoction. I didn't bother to ask him where he acquired such exquisite items.

My father dumped the container over the side of the roof and his repellent soaked into the grass. When it was all gone he reached into the space under the shingles and pulled out three vials, 'Here take these, each one contains a drop of wizard repellent, just incase something goes wrong at Hogwarts.' I hugged him and he told me, 'Now go pack, a wizard should be here to take you in the morning.' I hurried back into the house.

Packing was difficult, there were just so many things I needed to bring. I started off using four suitcases but eventually got it down to three and a half. I made sure to wrap the vials of wizard repellent in my clothes so they wouldn't break.

There was indeed a wizard to take me in the morning, a real hairy one too. When he saw my three and a half suitcases he exclaimed, 'Is that all! Go grab another one, or two, we're using magic to move them!' In a voice that matched the state of his facial hair. I packed another suitcase full of my things and went to say goodbye to my family. Vernon was boring the wizard with dull plans for his prosperous future. We nodded at each other and I hugged each of my parents.

'Be good for Santa Claus,' my mom ordered, stealing a glance at the huge wizard, 'I guess his beard goes white in the winter huh,' and I realized I didn't have a picture of my family to take with me. I dumped my last suitcase into the big arms of the wizard and took the framed family portrait off the wall, which also fit into the arms of the wizard.

'Right let's go,' I waved goodbye and headed off into the street with all my things and my big hairy wizard in tow. 'Which way to Hogwarts?' I asked him, looking left and then right. He stopped next to an old motorcycle parked on the curb.

'This is our ride here,' the wizard opened up a compartment on the back end of the vehicle and proceeded to load all my suitcases and picture frame into it. I didn't question how he did it, I was still getting over the motorcycle part.

'There is no way I'm getting on this thing,' I announced, kicking the side car, 'Motorcycles don't take kids to school, school buses do. What kind of a teacher are you anyway? How do I even know you're a teacher?' I began to panic, realizing how sketchy my situation truly was.

'I'm not a teacher,' he admitted.

'Oh gosh, how could I let this happen? Wizarding school? How dumb am I? Why would wizards need schools? This was all some elaborate ploy to abduct me and steal all my nice things, but I won't let you do it, I won't!' I stop when I hear him laughing.

'If you'd let me finish miss, I'm not a teacher, I'm the grounds keeper, my name is Hagrid, I've come to get you ready for the wizarding world,' I relax a little, 'And of course there is usually a magic school bus for the kids who are ready on time,' he tries to joke.

I accept his response, finally ready to get going, 'Well then Ms. Frizzle, what do I need to be ready for this wizarding world?'

'Ms. Frizzle? My name is Hagrid.'

I study his mass of messy hair, 'Nope, it's Ms. Frizzle,' he shrugs and gestures to the motorcycles sidecar. I hop in and squirm around, trying to get as comfortable as possible. Hagrid pulls goggles over his fluffy mane and starts the engine. We head off down the street but soon we are pulling up from the road and into the air.

'Onward to Diagon Alley!' Hagrid shouts. The afternoon sun shines on his unruly hair.


	2. The terror of Diagon Alley

Had I not been in possession of my own huge, hairy half-giant, I might have found Diagon Alley quite intimidating. Coming out of Gringotts Bank, where we exchanged my real money for coins with dragons on them, I made Hagrid walk a good foot in front of me so he could clear away all the shady characters that filled the narrow street. Rubbing elbows with cloaked strangers carrying bundles of herbs or diseased ridden rats did not appeal to me.

"Here's our first stop, Flourish and Blotts," Hagrid pulls the door open for me. I peer inside to find a dimly lit shop crammed full of books.

"No thank you," I say and hand Hagrid the supply list which had come with my letter.

"Really?" Hagrid asks, "That's a new one, I've never had a muggle born kid turn down their first chance to go into a wizard stop but alright, suit yourself." He takes the list in his meaty paws and leaves me standing alone outside. I cling to the wood of the storefront and stare blankly down the grim street.

"They had all your required books except for two. I put in an order for 'A History of Magic' and 'Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them'. They should be delivered in 3-5 business weeks," Hagrid says and hands me a heavy brown package.

We continue to buy wizard things all afternoon. Somewhere between robes and cauldrons, both of which I thought were a joke at first, I began to feel more comfortable in my new surroundings. I figured the crazy was finally starting to rub off on me. Which was why I was completely fine when Hagrid told me, "Now it's time to choose your wand,' and then tried to explain some nonsense about a wand actually choosing me.

A shrivelled old man was ready to help us as soon as we entered Ollivander's wand shop. He lay out some boxes and I held each of the wooden wands inside to see how they felt. The little old man said none of them were a match and brought out more boxes. This happened several times until the man frowned and said, "You should have been chosen by a wand by now. It usually doesn't take this long. I've never seen the wands so unenthusiastic to choose a person before." The more wands he brought out, the more worried he looked.

After pointlessly swishing around countless wands, I removed the lid of yet another box to find the stubbiest wand I had seen so far. "Four and three sevenths inches, half hard maple and half Honduran mahogany with a troll whisker core," the old wand maker announced, "Sorry, I made that one out of some scrap materials I had lying around the shop, I'll put it away," but before he could take it from my hands the little wand emitted a burst of sparks and began to shake in my hands.

"I believe we have found your wand," Hagrid said, trying to sound more excited than uncertain. The old shopkeeper gave me a huge discount on the wand and as soon as we left the shop I tossed it where all my other purchases had ended up, in Hagrid's vast arms.

We had almost reached the end of the street, near the only colourful building on the block. "Weasley's Wizard Wheezes," I read aloud, "Can we go there next?"

Hagrid looks solemnly at the shop for a moment before nodding. I take my time looking around the joke shop. Nothing really catches my eye until I find the cage holding a dozen fluffy balls. "You like the Pygmy Puffs, eh?" a store attendant asks me. I watch one scurry around, bumping into it's brothers and sisters. The attendant opens the cage and hands me one of the little critters, a dark blond one.

"Hey ," I call to Hagrid, sticking the Pygmy Puff on my shoulder, "It matches my hair!" The fluffy ball of energy climbs onto my head and I struggle to detach it from my hair.

"Each Pygmy Puff comes with a unique online code which, when you enter it on , let's you play as your Pygmy Puff in Pygmy Puffz World," the shop attendant tells me.

"Woah really?" I say, trying to hold the creature still while I examine the scroll tied around it's leg.

The shop attendant takes another Pygmy Puff from the cage, "Yes, and the more Pygmy Puffs you have, the more things you can unlock." She hands me the second Pygmy Puff, a light green one.

"Great!" I struggle to keep both Pygmy Puffs from squirming out of my arms, "I'll take one of every colour!"

I soon found out that a dozen Pygmy Puffs were more expensive than I thought. Hagrid had trouble carrying all of their cages, even with his enormous tree trunk arms, so we had to compromise and I ended up carrying my wand so he could balance my books, clothes, cauldron, and Pygmy Puffs.

I hoped to buy an owl at the pet store, our last destination, but discovered that I only had enough money for the tiniest rat. "Ew I don't want a rat. Look at that pathetic thing, it's like it knows how gross it," I complained to Hagrid, who kept a stern expression and jiggled my Pygmy Puff's cages. "Fine, I guess I may as well," I picked up the rat with two figures, holding it as far away from me as I could. I dropped it into the cage with my dark blond Pygmy Puff who starting licking the little thing, like he was trying to suck the ugly right off him.

Daylight was fading by the time Hagrid and I got back to his motorcycle. "Thanks , erm, Hagrid," I say while he is unloading my day's haul into the back compartment, "You should come to the mall with me sometime, you'd sure be handy." Hagrid chuckles.

"Sounds lovely, but no thank you," he replies. I climb into the side car.

"Guess I've got to name all my Pygmy Puffs," I say. Hagrid starts up the motorcycle and I ramble off names almost all the way to Hogwarts.


	3. Lia meets Dumbledore

"Is there a hot tub by the pool?" I ask Hagrid as we near the huge castle known as Hogwarts.

"Hot tub? Pool? Who told you that?" He glides the motorcycle down through a haze of clouds, closer to the ground.

"There's not even a pool? What kind of a boarding school is this?" I inquire. Hagrid grins and shakes his mop covered head, his gorgeous locks swing rhythmically around his shoulders. "Well then, what do you people do for fun? Are there horses? Is that a barn?" I look over the great expanse of field that circles the castle and point to a section near the back of the property.

"You'll see when we get there," is all I get out of Hagrid, which I guess means he's getting sick of the sound of my voice, having heard it nearly all the way here.

There is no welcoming party, to my dismay, when we land in front of the grand entrance to the school. Hagrid leads me inside and shows me through some cold, musty hallways until he stops abruptly. After nearly running into his soft, sparkling mass of hair, I look around. Three elephants riding on top of each other could easily pass through the doors we've stop in front of. Hagrid urges me through the doors, then returns the way we had come to begin unloading my things from his motorcycle. I watch his brown mane retreat from view before going any further.

When I step into the room on the other side of the door, everybody shifts in my direction. Each person seated at the four long tables is dressed in full wizard attire, while I'm standing there, the center of attention, in my Lady Gaga on tour t-shirt and bedazzled Ugg boots. A transparent man standing before the crowd is the first one to move.

"Ah, I see Hagrid has just managed to get you here on time. Everyone, this is our new student Natalia Dursley," he announces and the great hall is filled with thunderous clapping. Happy with the welcome I am finally receiving, I neglect to correct him with my name when he comes forward to shake my hand.

"You're a ghost?" I ask somewhat startled when my hand goes right through his.

He gives a deep throated chuckle, "Of course I am! Death could not hold the great Albus P. W. B. Dumbledore!" He exclaims, and I get the feeling he's not talking to me specifically anymore. He continues "So I stand before you today! The first ghost who is not afraid of death," he pauses, "Because death was afraid of me!" I look around uncertainly at the faces in Dumbledore's audience and I can tell they've heard this spiel before. The ghost drones on enthusiastically, "Just when death thought he had me in his grip, I-"

"We want to eat!" Someone shouts from one of the tables, bringing Dumbledore back into the moment.

"Oh yes of course, but first we must determine where Lia is going to sit. Can I call you Lia, Natalia?" I don't get a chance to answer the tall headmaster before he turns towards the table I assume is for the staff, "Severus, fetch me the sorting hat!" He orders excitedly.

A shady looking man, whose hair rated on a scale of 1 to Hagrid's is a solid -3, wanders over to the side of the hall and opens a semi hidden door set into the wall. The closet opens with a cloud of dust and a broom falls out and clatters against the floor. The man places it back into the closet and pulls a crumpled brown hat from a shelf above the cleaning supplies.

I follow Dumbledore up to a chair situated in front of the staff table and when I'm comfortably seated the shady man brings the hat over my head. It barely reaches the top of my head before it's gruff voice exclaims, "Slytherin!" And all the wizards at one of the side tables start to cheer barbarically. A girl at the end of the Slytherin table slides over to make room for me and I seat myself down next to her.

"Nice preppy muggle girl costume you got going on, though you should know, we don't usually dress up for Halloween," the girl smirks and tosses a strand of auburn hair over her shoulder. Her hair rates just below Hagrid's on the 1 to Hagrid's hair scale. The few Slytherins sitting around us giggle at the girl's attack on my clothes. I turn away from her and notice the pumpkins lain out across the tables.

"Hey, I'm Lily," the girl has her hand on my shoulder. I turn back around.

"Really?" I snap at her, "That supposed to mean something to me?" No one around us has time to react as a great feast magically appears in front of us and they busy themselves devouring it. Lily gives me an offended look before joining the others. I look at her a moment longer before starting my meal.

After dinner, Hagrid escorts me to the Slytherin common room and from there, to my bedroom. To my utter horror he informs me I will have to share a dorm with two other girls. One of which, will be Lily.

"I would like to put in a request for a room switch then," I inform Hagrid, who denies my request. Hagrid leaves me sulking in my room, after assuring me my future days at Hogwarts will bring me many smiles.

I'm not tired enough to sleep in the low, double bed decorated in silver and green that has been assigned to me. So I do some minor snooping. I find out Lily's bed is the one to the left of mine and a girl named Céline occupies the one to the right. I flop down onto my bed in the middle and play with my petit rat for awhile. He had started to grow on me ever since I decided his name should be Pickles. I teach him to balance on my shoulder, which admittedly isn't hard, as he doesn't move much.

Before changing into my pyjamas I try my wizard clothes on. The robes are an awkward length and the sweater is a bit tight, but I decide that black and green are definitely my colours. Lily strolls into the room just as I'm trying to figure out how to tie the green striped tie. I watch her and another girl appear behind me in the reflection of the full length mirror.

Lily ignores me completely as she goes about her pre-bedtime business but the tall black haired girl introduces herself, "You're Natalia, right?" She asks.

"It's Natasha actually, but take your pick," I give up on the tie and begin to take my robes off.

"Nice to meet you, I'm Céline," She says with a smile. I have trouble making out some of her words.

"What accent is that, Canadian?" I guess.

"You nailed it, I'm an exchange student from Canada," The Canadian flag that covers the wall next to her bed suddenly makes sense, "If you need anything or have any questions let me know. Although Lily will have to help you with most things, I'm in my third year, so I won't be in any of your classes. The three of us are the only girls in Slytherin," She informs me.

"Why are there so few slytherins?" I question.

"Well, there are a lot more boys. I'm not sure really-," Céline is cut off by Lily.

"Come on Céline, you know everyone hates Slytherin because of the war," She grumbles, moving around her bed.

"What war?" I direct my question at Céline.

"Seriously? What war? Maybe you should give this a try," Lily responds instead. She pokes my stack of books with her foot. The books topple over against the frame of my bed. I give her my best death stare.

"I didn't mean to-, whatever," Lily says as I start re-organizing my books. Céline has gone to brush her teeth and I get into bed soon after. None of us talk for the rest if the night.


	4. The Family Compact

The first couple weeks at Hogwarts are tough. I'm behind in every class and don't understand the purpose of magic since my transfiguration professor told me it couldn't be used to create money. This doesn't really matter because I'm terrible at magic anyway. My useless wand makes me do all the work.

My professors keep me for most of my free time, trying to improve my wizarding skills. It's a lost cause really, and takes me away from the wonderful world of . I try not to leave my dorm unless I have somewhere to go or Lily is there, mainly because the castle still confuses me. I have yet to take Céline up on her offer of giving me a tour because frankly, I'm a bit scared of Céline. She puts maple syrup on carrots and rice and hardly wears anything other than plaid on weekends. Wandering through dimly lit corridors alone with such a mysterious person is not high up on my list of desires.

The only class I'm decent at is potions. I just throw stuff into my cauldron and most of the time it works out. I find I'm more motivated to do well in potions than any of my other classes which is definitely the fault of my potions professor. His hair breaks the 1 to Hagrid's hair scale, it's so smooth and brown and he is very nice to look at.

At meal times I try to put as many Slytherin boys between Lily and I as possible. I avoid her in our classes too, all of which we share. I'm usually aware of where she is though, and I've figured out a few things from watching her. She has a core group of first year Slytherin boys who she can always get to follow her around and laugh at her jokes. This is especially true for one scrawny, scowling blond boy who treats her like a queen. She trades that group whenever she can though, for a group of older students from a variety of houses.

This is one area where Céline's helpfulness is actually helpful. She eagerly informed me that two of the members in the group are Lily's brothers, James, a Gryffindor in his fourth year, and Albus, a Gryffindor in his third year, and another two, Rose, a Ravenclaw in her third year, and Hugo, a Gryffindor in his first year, are her cousins. The five of them are always parading through the hallway with a dozen or so other students.

Once I asked Céline why they were so popular and she sent me to the library to read about some war and a trio with the names of 'Harry, Hermione, and Ron'. I took a nap instead and ended up missing my first flying lesson, another thing I would prove to be terrible at.

On the topic of flying, Lily and her relatives, who I took to calling 'the family compact', spend a great deal of their time out in the field wizing around on their broomsticks. Sometimes I would watch them, with Pickles seated comfortably on my shoulder, from the ground level window above my bed. The pack would zip across the field, bumping into each other playfully and showing off their daring moves. The two elder boys, James and Albus, were especially fearless and often got cocky, flying dangerously close to the stone of the castle or dropping right out of the sky, catching themselves on their broomsticks mere inches from the ground.

I write a letter home to my parents twice a week, leaving out such things as flying because I know it would only worry and confuse them. I write a second letter to my brother in which I have no problem describing such things as flying in great detail. I'm sure his dull little Yale dentistry life could use some of the colour from my wizarding world. We'll see who has the brighter future, won't we Vernon.

To help my mother understand more about wizards I sent her a package containing three of my Pygmy Puffs, the white, pink, and yellow ones. The owl who took off with them seemed to struggle a bit with the jumpy package, but I trust it got there, as a few days later I receive a letter back from my mother thanking me for the three abominable snow man babies. They were delectable, she wrote, but she had no idea what to feed them and no idea where to put them once they reached full adult abominable snowman size. I decide to let her live her fantasy and don't reply.

More and more I begin to miss the friends and therapist I left behind in the real world. During my free time I often roam the castle searching for Hagrid, who I know has a pair of ears that are always ready to listen under all of his exotic hair. If I do find Hagrid, before I get lost, I follow him around as he finishes his different jobs, unloading my disappointment with magic and frustration with Lily. Hagrid throws in an offhanded comment every now and then, but mostly continues his work as if I'm not even there. The only time I can get a real conversation out of him is when I bluntly insult Lily.

"Come on now, I won't have you making fun of any Potters," he scolds me while trying to mend a planter situated in the middle of the greenhouse. I grumble and watch him for a moment. "Here help me with this," Hagrid gets me to hold the corner of the wooden box while he hammers a nail through one of the boards. "Now let's see, you said you only spoke to Lily twice and the rest of the time the two of you just avoid each other?" I nod at his plain summary of my complaints. "Well then how can you say all those things about her? You barely know her!"

"I know her well enough to know I don't want to get to know her," I inform Hagrid.

"Nonsense," he tells me,"The two of you will be friends in no time, you'll see. Just remember to keep an open mind," Hagrid sets down his hammer, finished with his job. "Anyway, don't you have some classes to attend?" He asks suspiciously. I shake my head as innocently as possible. "Well that's great because I'm going to fix some toilets next and I sure could use some help." he peers at me mischievously.

"Fine, I'll go to class. I've got charms or something," I dart for the entrance to the greenhouse, "We shall continue this session next time," I tell Hagrid before leaving.

"I'm not your therapist, or one or your giggly girl friends. Now scram. Get out of here, go to class," he commands and I leave the greenhouse to make my way to Charms class.


	5. Hogwarts Strikes Again

Having only two weeks left until winter break, our work load increased considerably. Meanwhile, I was still trying to get the hang of the most basic wizarding skills. It was true that I had improved since the beginning of the year. I had mastered the anti-paralysis potion and could levitate Pygmy Puffs like nobody's business, but I had fallen progressively further and further behind the rest of my fellow first year classmates.

Rumours also began to pick up around this time. People said there was a disturbance among the teachers and staff. It seemed not everyone was as pleased to have a ghost for a headmaster as the ghost was. One Sunday morning as Céline was tidying her side of the dorm, I asked her what she knew from the other third years about the rumours.

"The teachers are threatening to go on strike unless they get, among other things, higher pay, smaller class sizes, and special help for kids with disabilities. It's greedy if you ask me," Lily responds instead. It was the first time I hadn't deliberately vacated the room upon finding Lily already inside it and so far she hadn't done anything to make me regret my decision to stay.

"Yeah, I mean, they're already perfect at magic. Isn't being able to do all those things payment enough?" I look at my pudgy wand beside me on my bedside table. From her relaxed position on top of her bed Lily glances at my wand too.

"Do you want to be good at magic?" She asks in a sincere tone. It makes me want to tell her the truth.

"Yeah," I admit and pick up my wand. Lily watches.

"Well right now you're the worst wizard I've ever seen. You're god awful," she says. I glare at her hoping to relay some of my shock and disgust. Céline pauses her clean up. With my wand in hand I get up to leave wondering why I even bother talking to her.

"Wait," Lily calls after me, "That's not what I-, I didn't mean it like that,"

"Eh, Tasha," Céline tries to reason in her smiley voice when I don't stop walking. I turn around to hear Lily out.

"I could help you," Lily offers, "You kind of need it. I'd be like a tutor but with magic,"

I don't take any time to consider, "I don't think that would go very well so no thank you," I throw the words at her in a dark tone and exit our dorm.

Stomping my way to Hagrid's hut helps to release some steam and remembering the vacation we have coming up, in which I will not have to see, hear or even think about Lily, calms me down further but I am still as ready as ever to complain about her when I reach the outskirts of the back lawn. Voices emanate from inside the hut. I pause in front of the door to listen.

"What about Professor McGonagall then?" I hear Hagrid's gruff voice ask.

"Minerva won't stay," Headmaster Dumbledore replies, "She plans to retire soon so she'll want better benefits. Snape tells me she wants to open a cat shelter, can you believe it? Anyway, Snape, show me the list again." I try to make sense of what I'm hearing during the pause, then the ghost speaks again "Snape what about your son, will Wilber protest with the rest of them or did you manage to raise him half sensible?" I gape at this little piece of information. So Dumbledore's drudge has a son. Lovely.

"Nope," Hagrid says. I can picture his enchanting hair becoming disheveled as he shakes his head, "I chatted with him about it and he said he would strike with the others if it came to it. Even a chance at getting higher pay is appealing to young folks it would seem. Anyhow, Professor Ronaldo is definitely a no,"

My jaw drops to the ground upon hearing my potions Professor's name. "He's Snape's SON!?" I accidentally shout out loud while trying to fathom how Professor Ronaldo in all his gorgeousness could even be remotely related to Head Assistant Snape in all his, well, Snape-ness.

There is shuffling from inside the hut, followed by Dumbledore commanding, "Snape, attend to the door," and I soon find myself being peered at by father Snape himself.

"Ah, hi there!" I say uncomfortably, "I just came by to see Hagrid but I can see that he's busy right now so I'll come back later, okay? Okay! Have a nice day!" I hurry away from Hagrid's home, trying to put distance between me and the hut as quickly as possible, without seeming suspicious.

Half way across the lawn, the initial shock of discovering Professor Ronaldo's parentage wearing off, I realize I am actually interested in the topic being discussed in Hagrid's hut. I loop back around, not knowing for sure whether I'm being watched or not, and crouch behind the small building.

"That's the last name on the list." I hear Dumbledore announce. "Snape, read me the notes. How many have we hypothesized won't take part in a strike."

"Including you, me, and Hagrid, sir, there are three. Plus the house elves," Snape states, "Suppose they won't have anything to do with striking after the failed house elf strike of '09."

"Quite right. Now Hagrid, what is the minimum number of teachers required to run this school according to your ground keeping hypothesization, is it less than three?" Dumbledore asks and once again I picture Hagrid's alluring locks being thrown about as his head shakes.

"I'm sorry Dumbledore sir, it is not less than three. Hogwarts would have to close in that case." Hagrid answers solemnly. I step away from the hut and think. I wouldn't be devastated if Hogwarts was closed, but I truly did like magic and wanted to be better at it.

"I will not stand for this!" Dumbledore raises his voice, "I, Albus P. W. B. - that's Percival Wulfric Brian - Dumbledore did NOT return to the world of the living, fighting death until it could consume me no longer, only to have my school SHUT DOWN. I will not have this, I WILL NOT HAVE THIS!" I turn away from Hagrid's hut just as Snape is trying to calm the radical ghost.

I drift through the rest of the afternoon, not quite sure what to think or how to feel. An owl arrives for me after dinner. It delivers the two books Hagrid ordered for me on our trip to Diagon Alley. 'So much for three to five business weeks,'' I think, 'I guess some things are the same in the wizarding world.' I don't bother to open them, for I may never have a need for the knowledge they contain. In a couple of weeks I may be back at home, just an ordinary muggle. My wand will find it's way under my bed and my cauldron will house my hair accessories.

Needing someone to confide in I almost tell Lily what I found out today. Then I remember her stating that I'm the worst wizard she's ever seen and decide against it. I almost tell Céline too, but stop myself out of fear of hearing her apologize for it five hundred times. Instead I climb into bed like it was any other night and continue to wonder how on earth Professor Ronaldo could be the offspring of Severus Snape.


End file.
